Acts 28:16
in Acts 28When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when we entered into Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him.
KJV
And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
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This verse in Acts 28
Commentary
9 notes on this versePaul was so respected that he was permitted to stay by himself; for if the centurion had been favorable to him until now, he became even more favorable. "With a soldier who guarded him," in order to prevent the possibility of new plots against Paul, …
This site's exposition
suffered to dwell by himself
When they came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him, the light custody of an appellant awaiting Caesar's own hearing rather than the confinement of a condemned man. The bench notes that this arrangement, however inconvenient, is the very thing that lets the rest of the chapter and the whole Roman imprisonment happen as it does, a chained apostle still able to receive all who come to him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And when we came to Rome, Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him." Leave was given him to dwell by himself. No slight proof this also of his being held in much admiration: it is clear they did not number him among the rest.
Paul therefore was now so much respected, that he was even permitted to be by himself: for if even before this they used him kindly, much more would they now. "He was suffered," it says, "to dwell by himself, with a soldier that kept him." That it might not be possible for any plot to be laid against him there either - for there could be no raising of sedition now. So that in fact they were not keeping Paul in custody, but guarding him, so that nothing unpleasant should happen: for it was not possible now, in so great a city, and with the Emperor there, and with Paul's appeal, for anything to be done contrary to order. So surely is it the case, that always through the things which seem to be against us, all things turn out for us. "With the soldier" - for he was Paul's guard.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And when we came to Rome,....
He is now come to his journey's end. He had longed to see Rome, but, when he comes there, he is delivered, with other prisoners, to the captain of the guard, and can see no more of Rome than he will permit him.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The captain of the guard - Στρατοπεδαρχῃ. This word properly means the commander of a camp; but it signifies the prefect, or commander of the pretorian cohorts, or emperor’s guards.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This privilege was allowed in the case of the better class of prisoners, not accused of any flagrant offense, on finding security--which in Paul's case would not be difficult among the Christians.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The captain of the guard - The commander of the Praetorian cohort, or guard. The custom was, that those who were sent from the provinces to Rome for trial were delivered to the custody of this guard. The name of the prefect or captain of the guard at this time was Burrhus Afranius (Tacitus, History, 12, 42, 1). But Paul was suffered ... - Evidently by the permission of the centurion, whose favor he had so much conciliated on the voyage. See Act 27:43. With a soldier that kept him - That is, in the custody of a soldier to whom he was chained, and who, of course, constantly attended him. See Act 24:23; Act 12:6.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὅτε | hote | When | G3753 → | 103 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἰσήλθομεν | eiselthomen | we came | G1525 → | 194 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ῥώμην, | rhomen | Rome, | G4516 → | 8 times |
| ἐπετράπη | epetrape | was allowed | G2010 → | 18 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παύλῳ | paulo | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| μένειν | menein | to stay | G3306 → | 118 times |
| καθ᾽ | kath᾽ | by | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ἑαυτὸν | he'auton | himself | G1438 → | 322 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| τῷ | to | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φυλάσσοντι | phulassonti | is guarding | G5442 → | 31 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| στρατιώτῃ.¶ | stratiote | soldier. | G4757 → | 26 times |
ὍτεWhen
hoteG3753 →103 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
εἰσήλθομενwe came
eiselthomenG1525 →194 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
Ῥώμην,Rome,
rhomenG4516 →8 times
ἐπετράπηwas allowed
epetrapeG2010 →18 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ΠαύλῳPaul
pauloG3972 →158 times
μένεινto stay
meneinG3306 →118 times
καθ᾽by
kath᾽G2596 →468 times
ἑαυτὸνhimself
he'autonG1438 →322 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
τῷwho
toG3588 →19766 times
φυλάσσοντιis guarding
phulassontiG5442 →31 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
στρατιώτῃ.¶soldier.
stratioteG4757 →26 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 27:3The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
it leads to
- Acts 24:23
He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.
- Acts 27:43
But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
- Isaiah 23:12
He said, “You shall rejoice no more, O oppressed Virgin Daughter of Sidon. Get up and cross over to Cyprus—even there you will find no rest.”
- Acts 27:1
When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
- Matthew 11:21
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- Acts 24:23
Through
Acts 24:23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.
it leads to
- Acts 27:3
The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
- Acts 27:3
Through
Genesis 37:36Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
it leads to
- Genesis 40:4
The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he became their personal attendant. After they had been in custody for some time,
- Genesis 37:28
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
- Genesis 40:4
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 54; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.